Ohr Somayach (Israel) has an excellent reputation as a Kiruv Yeshiva. Many people that I admire went there and some have gone on to become prominent influences in the Jewish world. Jonathan Rosenblum is just one name that comes to mind.
I am not in the habit of linking to blogs I know little about. But I was sent this link and it was quite eye opening about what seems to go on in Charedi Kiruv Yeshivos... or at least at this one.
Ohr Somayach is perhaps among the oldest and best known of Charedi Kiruv Yeshivos. If what this poster writes is true, then it is a strong indictment against them and validates my worst suspicions. That I give any validity at all to this post is because I have been saying many of these things myself based on my own observations of Charedi Chinuch and attitudes. In fact it corroborates much of what I wrote yesterday.
What is it they really teach there? Is it Torah… or is it Charedism? And how do they look at non Charedim and their institutions?
Apparently they teach Torah in part by denigrating Modern Orthodoxy. They may not say so in concrete terms but they get about as close to that as possible. Not only do they teach Charedism but they seem to teach the worst version of it!
The author of the linked essay is a Baal Teshuva whose name is Seth. Briefly his story is that he was brought up in an entirely secular home and was turned on to observant Judaism. His enthusiasm was great! He was convinced to attend Ohr Somayach. Based on the description in his essay, what he encountered there seems like an almost cult-like atmosphere.
If even half of what he writes is true, then my suspicion about how some Baal Teshuva Yeshivos indoctrinate is validated. It is cult-like!
I hope what follows is a lie. But I fear it’s the truth. And that is perplexing since I know ‘graduates’ from Ohr Samyach and none of them have these attitudes. And the fact that Rabbi Nachman Bulman worked there seems to contradict the scenario painted by Seth. I know that Rabbi Bulman’s Hashkafos were basically that of Torah Im Derech Eretz.
Is Seth lying? Or is he exposing a cult? Here are some excerpts:
* Ohr Somayach advocates an all-or-nothing approach. If you’re not ready to whole-heartedly adopt charediism, they don’t see a point in even trying to be a good Jew.
* Yeshiva University was looked down upon and students were not encouraged to attend. In fairness, ALL universities were looked down upon. When two students I knew who were taking a year off from law school to attend yeshiva announced that they would not be returning to law school, the rabbis congratulated them for making a great decision.
* Scientific method is certainly not accepted and neither is evolution.
* Another rabbi suggested that spending money on medical research is a waste because a cure for cancer will not come from scientific breakthrough but through prayer. He insisted that if we took that money and gave it to kollel families, we would get a cure for cancer much sooner.
* I had one rabbi tell me that “nothing good” has ever come or ever will come out of secular society. I suggested that things like the automobile, airplane, the space program, the cure for polio, the progress made in treating illness were all pretty good things. He replied that it wasn’t worth it. That these things cost too much and that it may be fine for the goyim, but it’s not our place.
* They discourage college and think it’s inappropriate to take any job where you might have to work with non-Charedim or be exposed to women, they rule out most occupations that most would actually want or where one could make any money.
As I said, I have no way of knowing how true any of this is.
But why would someone lie about his experiences there? My gut tells me he is telling the truth. But I reserve judgment. I wonder if others who went there can corroborate or refute any of this. Because if it’s true, I will actively discourage anyone from ever attending that Yeshiva.
